A BRAZIL shirt worn by Pele at his first World Cup ended its days as part of a Welsh Sunday pub team’s kit.

The historic top, which auctioneers estimate could have been worth £10,000 in pristine condition, was brought back to Swansea by Wales star Mel Charles after swapping shirts with the football legend at the 1958 finals.

The meeting between the two sides at the Swedish tournament’s quarter-final saw Wales – making their one and only World Cup finals appearance – knocked out by a Pele goal.

Mel, who played centre half against the mesmerising 17-year-old Brazilian, said: “When I finished playing professional football I ran a Sunday league pub team in Swansea, The Travellers. We didn’t have any money to buy shirts so I brought down all my international shirts that I had collected over the years for the boys to put on – including Pele’s shirt from the World Cup.

“I wanted them to at least feel like footballers and the way I saw it the shirts were just lying about the house gathering dust so I might as well put them to some good use.

“I suppose I should have had those strips locked away and kept safe for the future but I didn’t really place any special sentimental value on them.

“So when I went down to the park to dish the strips out to all the lads, I had the greens of Ireland, blues of Scotland, reds of Wales – anything I could lay my hands on.

“At the end of the game the shirts, including Pele’s, were splattered in mud and they were just slung into the washing machine together.

“I think Pele’s poor shirt ended up about seven different colours by the time it had gone through the wash a few times.

“I think Pele would see the funny side of it though and would probably even approve of the fact a pub team player had got to run about in his shirt. After all the beautiful game is for all footballers, from the World Cup to the parks of Swansea.”

“With the story and authenticity provided and in very good condition, the shirt worn by Pele in the quarter final of the 1958 World Cup would have gone for upwards of £10,000 – but it’s value now could be around £1,000.”

Mel, voted best centre half of the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, went on to be transferred from Swansea Town to Arsenal for £40,000 and ended his first-class career with Cardiff City.

He played 31 times for Wales and was devastated when his older brother John, regarded by many as the finest footballer Britain has produced, died in 2004 aged 72.

The iconic Pele shirt was eventually passed on to Mel’s son Jeremy, who carried on the family tradition playing for Wales and was also part of Swansea City’s John Toshack-inspired 1980s’ charge from Division 4 to Division 1.

But the family is unlikely to recoup even £1,000 for the washed-out piece of footballing history – because the shirt has been mislaid.

Mel, now 74, said: “Jeremy used to have it in a pub he ran but that was years ago. He’s moved around and doesn’t know where it is now.”

And he doesn’t even have a photograph of the Travellers with their famous kit. “We couldn’t afford shirts, never mind a camera. That’s why we were using those shirts.”

Mel has just written his autobiography about life as John Charles’ brother, In The Shadow of a Giant (John Blake Publishing £17.99) which is released on July 13